The Gen6 High-Voltage Battery Project at the BMW Shenyang Production Base in Liaoning province reached a milestone on Wednesday with the completion of the building's main structure.

The new production facility will lay a foundation for the application of BMW Group's latest technology in China, as well as low-carbon, efficient and high-quality HVB production, accelerating the pace toward local production of BMW's Neue Klasse models.

The project utilized advanced digital technologies like VR and AR in the planning and construction processes and will incorporate geothermal heating for the first time.

Franz Decker, president and CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive, said: "Upon start of production early next year, the i5 will become our fourth locally produced BEV, following the BMW iX3, i3 and iX1. This new model highlights our resolution to continue to play a leading role in electric mobility."

The new project involves 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) in investment and will create about 2,000 local jobs, implementing leading low-carbon production standards.

The BMW Brilliance HVB Center, opened in 2017, was the first power battery center of the BMW Group outside Germany. The fourth- and fifth-generation power batteries produced by this center are used in a number of BMW models.

The automaker has also joined hands with suppliers to promote the transformation and upgrading of Liaoning's manufacturing industry. Among them, ZF, a partner of BMW Brilliance for 20 years, has invested to build a BEV e-drive system production base in Shenyang for BMW's models. Meanwhile, battery cell supplier EVE Energy's new plant in Shenyang has begun its construction to provide cells for the locally produced Gen6 battery.